It's also worth observing that as a conservative Christian Englishman, I have far more in common with a Pakistani or Indian, both of whom are likely to know how to make a proper cup of tea, than any garlic-munching, lamb-incinerating, atheistic European.

Maybe you've heard of the Commonwealth? It means something to us Brits. I wouldn't expect a foreigner to understand, though.

Indians and Pakistanis know how to prepare lamb with lots of onions and garlic, BUT of course combined with herbs and spices

We on visit to relatives in TX were shocked to see our folks drinking coffee with steaks. While to see Italians mixing water into the wine never was shocking at all. It in the 1950ies and 60ies was absolutely common

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In all unions, a large number of its members are often unhappy with the situation. Most just grumble about it and get on with their lives, but one country is facing a national election soon, and the EU skeletons are rattling in their closets.

Britain has a free press, which after frightening their readers with the bogeyman sell more newspapers, & so they print all the EU failings, and ignore the EU successes. I reckon on balance Britain would be completely stupid to leave the EU, even trying to leave it will damage it's image, industry and tourism.

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) stimulate good conversation in the pubs, it's leader is a EU representative, and he hasn't convinced me his group are worth following into the oblivion.

Let the debate commence, preferably supported by some decent evidence.

A by-election takes place on 9 October 2014 in Clacton, the seat which Douglas Carswell stood down from when he defected from The Conservatives to UKIP. Another will follow in Rochester and Strood, where Mr Reckless was MP. Both are running as UKIP candidates.Mr Cameron said it was going to be "tough" to win Clacton, adding: "I've got a track record of doing in the EU what people said I couldn't do."

I admit I did not search for UKIP; I searched for EU and European Union. After 18 months, and the Scottish referendum, I think the situation has changed a lot, and a new thread will do no harm.

People are now wiser, and France & Germany, admit that reforms need to be considered. The problems are the EU is an elephantine organisation and change will take forever, and there are no rules about leaving, only joining!

In all unions, a large number of its members are often unhappy with the situation. Most just grumble about it and get on with their lives, but one country is facing a national election soon, and the EU skeletons are rattling in their closets.

Britain has a free press, which after frightening their readers with the bogeyman sell more newspapers, & so they print all the EU failings, and ignore the EU successes. I reckon on balance Britain would be completely stupid to leave the EU, even trying to leave it will damage it's image, industry and tourism.

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) stimulate good conversation in the pubs, it's leader is a EU representative, and he hasn't convinced me his group are worth following into the oblivion.

Let the debate commence, preferably supported by some decent evidence.

A by-election takes place on 9 October 2014 in Clacton, the seat which Douglas Carswell stood down from when he defected from The Conservatives to UKIP. Another will follow in Rochester and Strood, where Mr Reckless was MP. Both are running as UKIP candidates.Mr Cameron said it was going to be "tough" to win Clacton, adding: "I've got a track record of doing in the EU what people said I couldn't do."

I saw a few of these c...people on the news earlier on. Apparently they're not racist; they want to stop everyone coming in, no matter their skin colour, religion, or anything else, it's about "space". So presumably if they do get into power all we foreign resident Brits would also be personae non-grata.

This is happening already in Holland. This government is making it difficult for returning Dutch citizens, withdrawing social security etc. but accepting and helping asylum seekers! This has not made Dutch citizens very happy at all!

I would really like to see the UK leaving the EU.
10 years ago I would have told you I love the EU.
Nowadays I am not happy at all with the way the EU is going.
Maybe the UK leaving would act as a catalyst for deeper integration among the interested members.

The problems are the EU is an elephantine organisation and change will take forever, and there are no rules about leaving, only joining!

Of course there are rules for leaving! Check out article 49A of the treaty on European Union: "Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements."

So given the lack of a formal constitution DC could pull the UK out in the morning. And if the UKIP ever gain power that is exactly what they will do - no referendum, just out. After all, why rise a referendum that might fail....

Well, following those 9 items would just about mean leaving the EU. There isn't very much left, apart from the free movement of (cheap) eastern European labour.

Well if that is the starting point, it is hard to see much point in negotiating!

I think that what the UK fails to appreciate is that the EU is not a trading block! The name change might have given it away, but they failed to get the hind! And furthermore that the majority of Europeans voted for a Parliament that supports further integration, not less! And while everyone agrees that change is necessary, the change and extent of that change is not going to be what the UK requires.

It will be interesting to see how DC spins it if there is a referendum!

__________________
"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." - Nelson Mandela

And furthermore that the majority of Europeans voted for a Parliament that supports further integration, not less!

Well, in Ireland, in France and in Holland the vote had to be taken several times or taken with a lot of sugar. Other countries preferred not to ask their voters at all - too risky. So I'm not at all convinced there is genuinely a Europe-wide concensus for more integration.

The European parliament was not really elected on European topics but voters were mostly rewarding or punishing national parties for being succesful/popular or not on a national level in their relevant countries.

I don't think UKIP will win and I don't see the UK pulling out of the EU either.

But the way things are going, the EU could unravel anyway. You either are a trading block, or you are a federated union. We're kind of in a half-way house inching towards federation, but I think people have lost the stomach for it. Even the Germans are having second thoughts about paying for the lazy southerners.